New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-29
,prrya INDaTHE LONDON TINES"

In England ANYBODY VINO IEs IHh- y" WI -"
considered "a tradcsman7 whether his vcndible
commodity be n pound Of cheese or the opportunity
OF seeing a performance of Hamlet; and in case
he succeeds IN selling his goods, his customers
consider that they have done him FAVOR anu
plaeed him under an obligation This may not DC
the universally ACCEPTED view OF the subject among
the Englsh, but il Is largely prevalent view.
Thus in n recent issue Of "The London Times the
edit or of that representative Journal makes allsoh
70 what nc calls Mr.. Henry Irving's "scnse OF ms
OBLIGATIONS toward the English public with which
his repeated American excursions have some
what iutrrleredr We know not what Mr.,
Iryinc's sense of these obligations may be. lie
is a fair minded man and perfectly apprcciatNe
OF the good viii, equally Of his own counttymen
and Of foreigners. But IL would be interesting 10
know precisely what those obligations are when
an actor Is supposed To have incurred To punhc
by pleasing IT, II Mr. Irving had not shown go"d
productions and given good performances, the Eng
lsh public. il is presumable, would not have at
tended his theatre lie received their money and
their applause, but he gave them an absolute
equivalent for both. More than that, he expended
large sums of the money that he thus earned and
receiycd-much larger sums than there was any
real necessity for him to eXpcnd-in getting up
Sunni uous productions OF plays TO please them.
One would think under these circumstances that
the account had been pretty fairly balanced. In
ony other country than England, indeed, 1t would
be thought that the obligations II existent at
an were on the side Of the public rather than
that Of the actor. Mr. Irving, as matter OF fact'
found the English stage in a very low CONDITION.
i, one of il perodic states of decline and degrade
tion lie recrcated It, He toed. as few men
ever tollcd before to build IL up and give 1t new
birth and another period OF honor and histre and
rcnown: and he succeedcd-in the face OF potent
and bitter opposition.
What does he owe to the English public that he
has not yet paid !? What would the En9llsh pubhc
have been looking at above the crazy leVel ot
the melodramas provided by Mr.. Augustus Dririo-
lanus Harris, il 1t had not been for the noble
ambition. the deep sincerity, the selfdcvotion and
the God-yiven genius OF Henry IrvingP To the
outside observer it is the English public that Is
under obligations to Mr. Irving-and very heavy
obligations maintaining It's national drama and
for making its national capital dramatic cynosufe
for Intellectual persons OF all countries III the
world To the outside observer the Grabbed ana
supercilious remark Of "1hc London 'iimes" above
ouotcd-in the display OF the snobDish English
spirit-goes far to justify Napolcon's rude opinion
that the English nation is a nation OF shoI keepers
No ono but O cOmpacent snob, accustomed 10
browbeat and contcmn tina fawnns tladesman-
could have taken that tone toward great intellect
ual worker and public benefactor. Mr.. lrvins's
"reneated American excursions have been, for
e~sional purposes, precisely two in number and
on each occasion when he has acted In America, he
has left his theatre in the occupancy Of Miss Mary
Anderson great actress certainly the best tragic
ACTRESS that England has for many years
and in that way he has insured for his public both
variety of entertainment and the resOlute main
tenance of his own high standard Of dramatic
taste lie now contemplates third professional
visit to America, and again the London Lyceum
will be occupied by Miss Anderson, in Shake
sperean play.
Tho English public can very well afford to
be resigned and patient. Perhaps their
sense of Mr.. Irvings obligations to them Is not
altogether 50 cxacting or SO "shoppy' AZ that of
The London Times Some Englishmcn, at all
events there must be, who know that America has
become the market Of the world, in matters Of art
us in most other matters and that On American
excursion" now and then, whether it be made for
fame or for money, is well worth an actors care,
alike If he requires great wealth to maintain himself
at homo and IL he means TO have o worldwide
reputation and not merely local renown. Happily
for paygoers and for tho good Of the stage both
sides of the Atlantic, Mr.. Irving's conduct Of his
professional life is governed and directed by higher
broader and more far-seeing principles Of action